Compositional LanguagesFall 2012

Instructor: Prof. SIGMANTuesday 13:00-15:00

Lecture X

End-of-Semester Schedule

• 11/20: 16th, 18th, and 20th century Counterpoint

• 11/27: 20th century Polyphony: Ives, Varèse, Ferneyhough

• 12/04: Musical Timbre• 12/11: Final Project Presentations; Study

Guide distributed• 12/18: FINAL EXAM ( 시험 )

Topics 오늘 :

• I. Palestrina and 16th Century Counterpoint• II. Bach and 18th century counterpoint• III. 20th century examples: Bartok and

Shostakovich

What is “Counterpoint?”

• Contra = against • Punctus = point

• “note against note”• basis for polyphony • Voices are independent• Voices contain similar material

I. 16th Century Counterpoint

A. Contexts

• Madrigals• Motets• Masses

B. Giovanni Luigi da Palestrina (1525-1594)

• Italian Renaissance composer• Influenced by Josquin, Dufay, and other

Franco-Flemish polyphonic composers• 1545: Council of Trent• Highly prolific ( 다작의 ) composer of masses,

motets, and madrigals

C. Johann Joseph Fux (1660-1741): Gradus ad Parnassum

• Austrian composer and theorist• Author of Gradus ad Parnassum [The Steps at

Parnassus], *the* authority on 16th century counterpoint

Gradus ad Parnassum (1725)

• written as teacher-student dialogue• Progressive study of species counterpoint• Increasing in complexity • for composers

C. Species Counterpoint

• 1) First species: 1 note against 1 note• 2) Second species: 1 note against 2 notes• 3) Third Species: 1 note against 4 notes• 4) Fourth Species: Second species with

suspensions• 5) Fifth Species: mixed note values (“florid”

counterpoint) • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Counterpoint#Species_counterpoint

D. Modes

6 “ecclesiastical” modes: •1) Dorian•2) Phrygian•3) Lydian •4) Mixolydian•5) Aeolian•6) Ionian

E. Consonance and Dissonance

• Consonant intervals: 3rds, 6ths, 5ths, octaves

• Dissonant intervals: 2nds, Perfect 4ths, Tritones, 7ths

F. Dissonance Treatment

• Passing and neighbour tones• Suspensions• Cambiata figures:

G. Example: Missa pro Defuntis, Kyrie

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6_3Q3sxoOs

1. Analysis: Basic Properties

• 5 voices • 3 points of imitation (Kyrie eleison/Christe

eleison/Kyrie eleison) • Fifth species counterpoint • Ionian mode (on F final)

2. Analysis: Source Material

• Paraphrase of chant • First 8 measures: literal quotation• Rhythm: long -> short note values

[provided by Palestrina]

3. Analysis: Part Writing

• 1-2 subjects at a time• Voices overlap, except at important cadences• Overlapping = continuity of texture and

independence of voices • Step-wise/conjunct ( 점진적의 ) motion

4. Analysis: Imitation ( 무방 )

• Melodic interval: P4, P5, unison, or octave• Rhythmic interval (or distance) between

voices: 2 beats -> 4 measures • Augmentation/diminution

II. 18th Century Counterpoint

A. Contexts

• Inventions (2 voices)• Sinfoniae (3 voices) • Canons (3+ voices) • Fugues (3-4+ voices) • Masses

B. The Fugue

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZM4yxbE0ZE

Example: J.S. Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier Book I,

Fuga XVI • G minor• 4 voices• http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=IZX5ShQkP20

1. Large-Scale Form

• Expositions• Episodes

a. Exposition

• Contains subjects and answers (imitation) in 3-4 voices

• 1-2 Counter-subjects (against subject and answers)

• Bridge (between voice entrances)

b. Episode

• Contains sequences • Series of tonicisations• 1 model/sequence • No complete statement of the subject• Function: modulation; connects Expositions

2. Subjects: Real vs. Tonal Answer

• Real answer: exactly the same as first statement of subject

• Tonal answer: modified to fit key • In Fuga XVI, tonal answer at the 4th/5th (why?)

3. Devices

• Episodes: Circle of 5ths progressions• mm. 30-32: stretto

[voice entrances interrupt each other] [builds intensity towards final cadence]

III. Counterpoint in the 20th Century

A. Dmitri Shostakovich, Fugue in C Major op. 87 (1952)

• Fugue subject: entrance on every white key• ONLY white keys (no #/b) • On B: “tonal answer”: P5-> Tritone (B-> F,

rather than B-> F#) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=awvQ3jgcxg4

B. Béla Bartok: Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, Mvt. I

(1936)• Chromatic subject• “Spiral” of Entrances: circle of 5ths in 2

directions (A-> E-> D-> B-> G-> F#-> C -> C#-> F, etc.)

• Asymmetrical meter • Voice entrances -> climax• Stretto used http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=WNw_2auj1RQ